On 31st August 1893, Preston North End Football Club was incorporated to acquire the club's business. During the early decades of the twentieth century the club enjoyed littlesuccess but the late 1930s, the 1940s and the 1950s saw the goldenera in Preston's history. During this period, the club fielded some of Britain's best known players of the time - Bill Shankly, Tom Finney (the club's current President) and Tommy Docherty - attracting attendances of over 30,000 for games at Deepdale.